Old English Clocks. F H Green. No.145.

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About the Item

A beautiful rare book, created within an artisanal milieu, in which those involved, believed stretched back to a purer time earlier than that of the fine 17th century clocks contained within it's pages. A closer influence to the craft of papermaking and hand printing is easier to discern, it is that of William Morris and his disciples Edward Johnson and Eric Gill. The collection of clocks within the edition is from the nascent years of great English clockmaking and was published by Francis Herbert Green in 1931 to commemorate the tercentenary of the foundation of The Clockmakers Company, which may be why he limited the edition to 300. Most of the books were hand numbered in ink of which this 145. The book is a combination of high craftsmanship both in content and execution and was published by St Dominics Press, Ditchling Common. Great care was taken in every aspect of the publication; one contemporary reviewer even thought it "over luxurious". The book is quarter bound in black morocco leather and green linen covered boards, which I sometimes wonder is a gentle pun on the authors name. There are fifty-one black and white plates with images of clocks by the greatest makers of the golden age of Charles II and William III, particularly Thomas Tompion some of which have details of the movements with the dials removed. Ditchling Common in the South Downs became the location of a commune established upon the ideals of the Arts and Crafts Movement. One of the founding members was Edward Johnson, the great calligraphist credited with reviving the art of penmanship but whose lasting work is seen by millions of people travelling in London each year. It was his sans serif font, the product of over fifteen years of fine honing that was chosen for the signage of London Underground in the 1930's; Johnson Sans. However, it was his somewhat notorious protégé Eric Gill, also at Ditchling, whose similar, clean, balanced font became more familiar, because as a licensed product it became available to the masses thanks in part to the creator of Apple, Steve Jobs. His interest in the design of typeface combined with a desire to provide the users of his products with an aesthetic element led to it's availability on home computers and contributes to a profound timeline of creative sensibility for those who still relish the value of the individual artistic spark in a mechanised age. I feel you only need to delicately turn the hand cut pages of F. H. Green's book to feel the potency of a deeply held legacy.

Dimensions:
Height: 120.48 in (306 cm)Width: 89.77 in (228 cm)Depth: 7.09 in (18 cm)
Place of Origin:
United Kingdom
Period:
Mid-20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1931
Condition:
Seller Location:
Kent, GB
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU97521601302